Two Birds With One Stone
by The Writer Triumphant
Summary: I'll always be flying at your side'. RobinRaven. Slight AU with some truths.
1. Chapter 1

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term 'Sister-in-God' was taken from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

This story is slightly AU even though it contains clues of what actually happened to the real Titans. All that information comes from a site I have found most useful and interesting.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

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_

**Chapter One: Arranged**

Arranged marriages had long been a way to bring families together in alliance, to stop wars, and to breed a line of heirs.

Richard Grayson, or Robin, as he was called now, thought it was, as he put it: "Crap".

He was seventeen at the time, and living in a century in which arranged marriages were things of fiction. Habits of the past. He was apprentice to Gotham City's greatest hero, Batman, and had been raised by the man behind the mask, Bruce Wayne, for most of his young life. In all that time, they had many opportunities to discuss many political topics and otherwise. Certainly they disagreed on many things. Arranged marriages was one of them. Bruce Wayne argued that they were essential to forming treaties and creating alliances. Richard, being the exact age of a boy entering an arranged marriage, stood his ground for the freedom to choose one's spouse.

So when Batman returned from a series of long meetings with the Justice League to announce that a being known as Scath would soon return to bring about the destruction of the universe and arranged marriages were being put into consideration to bond the known planets against him, Robin was not happy.

"You're making a bunch of kids my age get married just so we know that everyone's on the same side? That's a load of crap."

"A girl has been chosen for you, to form the alliance between Tamaran and Earth," said Bruce Wayne.

"This is stupid."

"She will arrive tomorrow so that you can meet her. I told the League that I would not force you to marry her, but I hope you can understand that Scath is dangerous and anything you can do to help is crucial." And he left Robin in his room to think about it.

Her name was Koriand'r, but she told Robin right away that he could call her Starfire if he wished. She was at least four inches taller than him, but pretty in an alien way, and she was always cheerful. She was a patient listener when Robin taught her how parking meters and soda machines worked, and she delighted in showing Robin the rituals of Tamaranian holidays.

They fell in love quickly, and Robin himself went to the next Justice League meeting to accept her as his bride so that her plant and his would stand together once Scath awoke. They would be married the following year, when Richard would turn eighteen.

But things became darker soon after that.

A madman known as Slade came to Gotham, and it was with Starfire's help that Robin managed to thwart several attempts to destroy the city. As Batman's apprentice, he was Robin, the Boy Wonder. And with her special Tamaranian powers, Starfire was his assistant. Slade became Robin's sworn enemy, and there were many times Starfire and Batman worried that Robin was becoming obsessed with his capture.

A week before her wedding with Robin, Starfire was called to the Justice League. They had chosen wrong. It was not her destiny to marry Robin and form an alliance between their planets. She was to marry Karras, a Tamaranian male. She was sent away the next day and married in grand ceremony before all her people.

Robin locked himself in his room for weeks. When he finally emerged, he asked why she had been taken away from him.

"She was chosen for you because Earth needed an alliance with Tamaran," Bruce Wayne explained. "However, another marriage was arranged for the same purpose, and since Koriand'r was the heir to her planet's throne, we shouldn't have assumed that she would be able to marry you. Her duty is to her people first."

Finally, Robin had to accept that if he ever saw Starfire again, she could not be his. In a fit of depression and rage, he went to fight Slade alone. If it had not been for Batman, he would not have lived. Slade escaped that night, but Robin was badly beaten, bruised and cut.

"That was very rash of you, Robin. You weren't thinking," Bruce Wayne said the next morning, when Robin's wounds had been cleaned and bandaged.

"I don't' care," came the response.

"You should. There is someone here to see you."

"Starfire?" Robin asked hopefully.

"A woman from Azarath."

Robin had heard of the place. It wasn't another planet, exactly. More like another dimension or parallel existence. The people were said to be very intelligent and able to predict the future. Perhaps this woman had come to tell him that he would soon be with Starfire again.

She was a willowy woman with dark hair and perfect ivory skin. She wore a long, dark blue dress and a cape of the same color with a hood. When she entered the room, she simply stopped at the foot of his bed and said, "This is him", and then left as silently as she had come. Robin could faintly hear Batman speaking to her, but he couldn't understand what he was saying.

Batman came back sometime later, looking grave.

"Robin, I know you were hurt by the mistake we made with Koriand'r…" he began. "That woman who came to see you was from Azarath, and she says that you are destined to marry someone else. She, along with a number of other diviners have interpreted a series of dreams and symbols that predict you will be a great part of Scath's downfall."

"And?" Robin could tell there was something his mentor was holding back from him.

"So it is crucial that we form an alliance with Azarath. They know more about Scath than anyone."

"An 'aliance'? Are you telling me that you've volunteered me for another arranged marriage?" Robin asked, angry.

"I did not volunteer you. But the woman insisted you meet the girl they have chosen for you. I am not forcing you to marry her. Just let her see you."

Robin was silent for a long moment. "I won't speak to her," he said finally.

"You don't have to," Batman said. "She will be here tomorrow."

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Raven considered her dreams to be very important. They often alerted her when something was going to happen. So when she had weeks of dreamless sleep she decided it was one of two things: either she would soon have a very important dream or that she was simply having very minor, meaningless dreams that meant nothing.

It turned out to be the first.

She always appeared in the form of a dark bird in her dreams. In this one, she was flying through a maze of tall, dark shapes that she took to be buildings. She felt the presence of Scath all around her, as she often did in dreams where she was flying. Soon, she came upon another bird, perched high on a building, singing a sad tune. It was a small, gray bird with a bright red stomach. When he appeared beside it, it stopped singing and indicated its broken wing. She placed her wing over it and allowed her healing energy to flow into the other bird. Within seconds, it was healed.

For several nights after that, she dreamed she was flying alongside the small bird through the maze of dark buildings. Somehow, she knew they were searching for Scath. But they never seemed to find him.

One day, Sister-in-God journeyed to Earth, acting on a vision, when she returned, she called Raven to her.

"Many of the other planets are aware that Scath, while dormant, will soon awaken," the diviners told her. Raven nodded. "They have began to form alliances with one another through marriages." Raven nodded again. She knew this. "It has been revealed to us in a number of visions that you are to marry a young man of Earth."

"I thought we didn't believe in that rubbish of arranged marriages," said Raven.

"It has been divined. You know that you will play an important role in the awakening of Scath."

"I know." She had known since she was a child. She didn't look like the other women of Azarath. Her skin was as pale as the moon and her hair was an eerie hue of darkest violet. And her powers were those of a demon. She was spawn of Scath, and would one day be his key, his door to this world.

"We once told you that it would be impossible to stop this. But now we believe that this human can help you. His name is – "

"Robin."

"How did you know this?"

"I dreamed him. He was hurt and I helped him."

"Perhaps it is your destiny to help each other."

"Perhaps."

"You will journey to Earth tomorrow to meet him. You will stay there for one month before we decide if you should marry him."

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**Writer's Note:** This is a sort of weird idea I've been playing around with. Finally decided to write it down.

Go review already.

Signed,

The Writer, you fools


	2. Chapter 2

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

**A Note: **It was called to my attention that perhaps I have been referring to the impending evil here by the wrong name. I am aware that Scath is just another name for Trigon. However, I choose to use "Scath" for two reasons. One: I did mention that this story is slightly AU. "Scath" here is more of a "He-who-must-not-be-named" deal in my story. That will be explained. Second reason is: sometime before I started watching Teen Titans and looking for information about them – Raven in particular – I started writing a book. It is now the bane of my existence. Anyway, I used the term "trigon" in my story to refer to people who had committed serious crimes and were thus branded with a black triangle mark. So I prefer to use Scath here for now.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

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**Chapter Two: Raven**

She entered as quietly as the other woman. She wore a white dress of the same length and a cape with a hood that covered her eyes. A sort of garnet pin held the cape together, and in one hand she carried a small sort of knapsack. Robin was determined not to speak to her. Either she had the same thoughts or she was just quiet by nature, because for several long moments she just stood there. It almost made him angry. Her certainly didn't want her there, and if she didn't want to be there, she should leave. But at the same time he could feel her gazing at him intently. As though she was looking into his soul. It was a most uncomfortable feeling.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she dropped the knapsack. It hardly made any noise touching the tiled floor. She put up a hand and removed her hood to reveal a heart-shaped face as pale as the moon framed by long, violet tresses. Her eyes were very much like the other woman's, large and dark, the same color as her hair. Resting in the middle of her forehead was a small garnet-colored gem.

"What is your name?" he asked. He had only been thinking the question since she entered the room, but only just heard himself asking it.

"Raven," she said simply. Her voice was not like the other woman's, light and sweet. Hers was dull and monotone, as though she felt speaking a pointless task.

Another long silence filled the room as Robin regarded her, now having a name to put to the bane of his existence.

"So quiet. At least the children will be well behaved," came a voice from the doorway. Robin shot Alfred a look that plainly said the butler had crossed some line. A moment later the door closed and they were alone in silence again.

She withdrew something from her cape. A black feather.

"If you put this under your pillow when you sleep, I'll be able to protect you from nightmares," she said, holding it out. He took it wordlessly, although he would have liked to tell her that he didn't need her to protect him from anything.

"Let me heal you," she said.

"What?"

"You have some bruises and cuts. I can heal them." She said it as though she spoke of picking a bit of lint off of his shirt.

"Heal?" Robin's eyes narrowed behind the mask.

"Did Sister-in-God not tell you of my powers?" again, her words came without emotion.

"No." He guessed that Sister-in-God was the woman who had come before. She certainly hadn't spoken to him, and Bruce hadn't bothered to say anything other than why Raven would come.

"I'm not full Azarathian. I have other powers."

"And healing is one of them?"

"Yes." She put out a hand and touched his arm. He was momentarily alarmed by the gesture, but then her hand began to glow softly in a pale blue light. He could feel the cuts and bruises evaporating. Naturally, he wanted to ask how she'd done it, but his pride would not allow him to speak anything else.

"I believe a thank you is in order, Robin," came a voice from the doorway. For a moment, he thought Alfred had returned. But when he looked up it was Bruce standing there.

"Thank you," Robin muttered under his breath.

"Mr. Wayne," Raven gave a curtsey. Again, all without emotion.

"Miss Roth. I apologize for Robin's behavior." Robin flinched. Bruce was disappointed with him.

"You need not apologize," she replied, a shadow of a grin on her lips. "I know he doesn't hate me. Merely the idea of me."

"And what is your opinion on the matter?" Bruce asked gently.

"When I was born the monks of Azarath told me what my destiny would be. At the time, Robin was not mentioned. I was trained to hold back my emotions because they are the key to my powers. I never thought of what would happen should the diviners find the man I was to marry. It wasn't important to me." She paused. "I will not force him to marry me. No one will." The last was almost an order to Bruce. She turned to face Robin. "I only hope that you will fly with me when I need you."

There was a long silence.

"That woman you call 'Sister-in-God'," Robin began, breaking the silence, "Told Bruce that I would play an essential part in Scath's downfall."

"Yes," Raven answered. "In my vision-dreams you and I are searching for him. Searching for a way to destroy him."

"We will," he said after another long silence. "But I will not marry you."

"I'm not asking you to."

Bruce, sensing a sort of unspoken truce between them, said, "I will have Alfred prepare a room for you, Miss Roth."

She picked up her things and followed him out, leaving Robin to ponder some things as he absentmindedly stroked the black feather.

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**Writer's note:** Thank you all so much for the reviews. So now we've introduced Raven. In the next chapter, Robin will learn more about Raven's powers.

Go review already.

Signed,

The Writer, you fools


	3. Chapter 3

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

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**Chapter Three: Terra **

He barely knew she was there. She was quiet in his presence, feeling that they had exchanged all necessary words on the first day. Sometimes it bothered him, but then he thought of the people who had taken Starfire from him and expected him to accept Raven in her place. He hated that she wouldn't speak to him. He longed to shoot down whatever attempts she made at conversation. But if she spoke at all, it was to Bruce. And this vexed him as well, because he felt like a child while they sat there and talked, practically ignoring him.

And he hated her knowing that he had nightmares.

That stupid feather…

He'd meant to throw it away, of course. But he forgot, and it fell out of his pocket as he was undressing for bed. He left it on the floor, giving it a sort of scowl as he turned off the lights and pulled the covers around him. It had been a long day, and he wanted to sleep. Sometime around two in the morning he'd awoken in cold sweat, unable to get those images out of his mind. A patch of moonlight had draped itself across the floor. The feather shone in a most Raven-like way. Frustrated, he picked it up and shoved it under his pillow. His next dream was one of him flying on a large, black bird through blue, blue skies.

He continued to sleep with it under his pillow, and the nightmares stopped. Of course he didn't thank her. She might think he was getting used to her.

"I promised I'd help her fight. Nothing more," he muttered to himself. From the other side of the room, Raven opened one eye and regarded him like a bird regarding a branch where it intends to build a nest. Robin looked away, ashamed that she had heard or sensed what he said. His cell phone rang, allowing him a bit of distraction.

"There's trouble in the city, Robin," came Bruce's voice. "It's Salde."

"I'm on my way," Robin replied, glad to get away from Raven for a while.

"Take Raven with you," replied his mentor before hanging up.

Robin mentally cursed, dead certain that Bruce had developed some mind-reading technique from Raven.

"I'm going into the city," he said briefly to her. "Bruce said to take you, but you don't have to come." He really hoped she wouldn't want to. After all, she didn't seem the type to get out of doors much.

"I'll fly with you," she said in her signature monotone.

"I don't fly," he said, smiling in spite of himself. "I ride my R-cycle."

"Flying is faster," she argued. "I can fly us."

"Sure, Raven. Fly us into the city," he said in a sarcastic tone.

He would later regret saying that.

A dark shadow seemed to fall over them, wrap around them. When it had faded, they were standing in an alley, the sounds of a robot army tramping close by.

"How - ?"

"No time now. I feel someone is in danger. Us even."

"Stay here then. I'll be back."

"I'm going with you."

"I don't have time for this. There is a criminal out there. What can you do? You don't even have a weapon!" He was angry with her for being so quietly stubborn.

She lifted a hand and muttered something under her breath. Beside her, a dumpster became engulfed in the glowing blackness that had brought them there. It rose some feet into the air.

"This will be my weapon."

He must have looked pretty ridiculous, standing there, agape, because she dropped her mask of emotionlessness and grinned.

"Fine then," he said, as calmly as he could. "I'm going for Slade. You take out as much of his minions as you can, got it?"

She gave a curt nod and together they charged into the street. With one graceful sweep of her hand, the dumpster cleared through two dozen of Slade's robots, clearing a path for him.

Slade was running along the opposite side of the street, a hostage slung over one shoulder. A green leopard followed close behind. Robin recognized him at once.

"Beastboy!" he shouted. The leopard became a pterodactyl and swooped toward Robin, snatching him up. When they were high enough, he dropped Robin, who bulleted toward Slade with a flying kick.

Slade fell to the ground, and Beastboy ran ahead to catch the girl he'd captured. Raven beat him to it, though, catching her in a weaving of darkness. Beastboy made a noise of protest, but Robin made a gesture to him that got him to back off. While Slade pulled himself out of the dumpster Raven had flung in his path, Raven herself put a glowing blue hand to the girl's blonde head. Once the girl's eyes had opened, though, she seemed to recoil, and let Beastboy help her to her feet.

Meanwhile, Slade had recovered and was now involved in a sparring match with Robin. At one point, Robin went flying into the dumpster as well. Raven ran to him, leaving Beastboy open to attack. A split second after Robin was pulled out, Beastboy was knocked to the side and Slade and the girl had disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Terra!" Beastboy moaned from the ground. He transformed into a bloodhound and ran off, sniffing here and there, trying to find her scent.

As a crowd slowly gathered around Robin, Raven, and the fallen robots, the Boy Wonder's anger reached boiling point. He shoved Raven against the brick wall with as much force as he could muster.

"What the hell were you thinking? Why did you let the hostage get taken!" He was breathing hard. She flinched and looked down at her feet. For a moment, he was almost sorry. But then it passed. "I wasn't important, Raven! You could have stopped him from taking her."

She looked back at him with the same empty stare she'd held since he met her. "You were important, Robin. You were more important to me than anything in that instant." He growled. If she thought she was going to win him over this way, she was wrong. "And this was a set up," she continued, steadily ignoring the wave of hatred he was emitting.

With another shove, he looked her right in the eye. "Talk," he demanded. She wrapped her hand around his wrist and closed her eyes. The darkness surrounded them and they were back in the study of Bruce's mansion.

"That girl was a spy for him," she said quietly.

Before he had time to ask questions, his communicator rang.

"Beastboy?"

"It's Terra, Robin. Slade's got her in a warehouse downtown. You've got to help me save her."

"I'm there."

He glared at Raven. It was rare that he got a second chance to save a hostage. He would not let Raven ruin it again.

"I'm going to help save Terra. You can come, but you will do as I tell you, understood?"

She nodded and let the darkness envelop them again.

In the coming days, Robin replayed the scene over and over again in his head. When they had arrived, it was as though an earthquake had chosen that very warehouse to run rampant in. There was nothing he, Raven, or Beastboy could have done. The earth opened up and swallowed most of the building, taking Slade with it. But what would give him grief over the coming days was Terra. Raven had been right. She had been a spy, but at the last moment she had begged Beastboy's forgiveness as she tried to control her power. She could bend and manipulate the earth to her will, and it was out of control. She told Beastboy to run and then let all of her power loose.

They found her, some hours later, in the very heart of all the destruction, frozen in time, turned to stone.

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**Writer's note:** As always, a thank you to the readers, reviewers, and the people who decided to make this story part of a C2. So now Robin has an idea of the kind of powers Raven has. In the next chapter, Beastboy will come to the mansion. Slade is supposed dead. Stuff like that. I don't have a plan. I just write.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	4. Chapter 4

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

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_

**Chapter Four: Beastboy**

"Slade is assumed dead."

"Dude. We both saw what happened. He was crushed under a pile of rocks as big as your ego and burned by the lava the burst up from the whole ground. Nearly the whole building was burned."

Robin ignored the comment about his ego. "And Terra…?"

"…Is alive."

Robin looked up. Raven was standing in the doorway of the study.

"Your girlfriend know something I don't?" Beastboy asked.

"I'm not Robin's _anything_," Raven clarified. A crystal vase on the coffee table exploded in a burst of dark energy, sending the silk flowers in it flying.

"What do you mean, Raven?" Robin asked.

"She isn't dead," she answered simply.

Robin was about to retort, but Beastboy interjected. "Is there a way to bring her back?"

"If there is, I don't know it."

She turned and left the room.

"I thought you were crazy for dumping Star, man," said Beastboy in an awed whisper. "But this one's _feisty_!" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at the Boy Wonder.

From somewhere down the hall, another crash could be heard.

"I didn't leave Star. She was taken away from me," said Robin. "And they sent Raven in her place. To take her place." He put as much venom into the statement as he could, knowing full well that Raven could hear him.

Beastboy said nothing, choosing to reach for the TV remote.

Robin sighed. Beastboy wasn't much for intelligent conversation. Nor was Starfire, for that matter. She was much too naïve. He'd rarely talked to her about important things, because he felt the meaning was lost in translation. Cyborg and Bruce were the only two people he could talk to, but Bruce always thought he was being childish and was rarely around to talk to, anyway. Cyborg lived in Jump City, some distance from Gotham, and he was busy playing hero there.

Cyborg and Beastboy were his on-call partners. So was Starfire, on occasion, and now he had Raven to help. If she could stop worrying about him and do what he told her to do. He flinched inwardly. She had actually worried about him. But then… she told him, after they returned that day, that she had known about Terra's treachery from the instant she healed the girl. So Raven could have easily taken the opportunity to turn her attention to him so that Slade could get away with her. That had to be it.

Beastboy laughed at some joke or other and turned the TV volume up a bit. Robin knew he was hurting on the inside and only pretending that everything was okay. The kid wasn't very smart, but Robin knew he had a lot of heart, especially where Terra was concerned.

"I'm going to go visit her," the green changeling said suddenly.

"Terra?"

"Yeah. Just to… to know she's still there. I might think of a way to bring her back." He shrugged, probably aware that he couldn't do anything.

Robin watched him go and reached over to for the remote, turning off the TV.

_We've both got problems with women, Beastboy_, he thought wryly. His communicator rang and he ran to answer it, hoping against hope that it was Starfire.

"Hello?" He could hear his heart pounding in his ears.

"Friend Robin!" sang Starfire's cheery voice. Robin flinched at the 'Friend' endearment, but smiled, glad to hear her voice.

"Starfire. How are you?"

"Married life is most joyous," she reported. "I wish for you to meet Karras. Might we visit you tomorrow?"

Robin felt anger boiling within him. She dared ask him, her ex-finance, if he wanted to meet her husband? But as angry as he was, he couldn't turn down an opportunity to see her again.

"Sure. I'd like to meet him."

"Wonderous! We will come tomorrow at the hour of two o'clock. Is this suitable?"

"Of course, Starifre."

She bid him a cheery god-bye and hung up. With a growl, he snapped the communicator shut and threw it with force, to the other side of the room, where it landed in a huge, leafy plant.

"Something bothering you?" came Raven's dry voice from the doorway. He scowled at her.

"Yes." He grinned. "You."

She raised a dark eyebrow and left again, her cape swirling behind her.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. 

A slightly shorter chapter than the rest, but ah well. The next chapter will be quite a bit longer. Starfire meets Raven and Raven meets a new emotion called jealousy. Robin learns something about Raven. I know I'm making him act like a real jackass, but after the next chapter he'll start to get over Starfire.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	5. Chapter 5

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

**Chapter Five: Starfire**

He'd never been this anxious to see her. Not even the time when she was coming back from a visit to her home planet. This time was different. In his wildest dreams the night previous, he'd managed to convince her to run away with him. But he knew that would never happen in his waking hours. Starfire was a bit naïve, but she was very devoted to her people.

Raven seemed to know he was expecting visitors, because she locked herself in her room after a very early breakfast and hadn't come out since. Robin was secretly grateful.

Starfire arrived a few minutes late, her husband and a bowl of "Happiness Pudding" in tow. Karras as a well built Tamaranian male, perhaps two years Robin's senior. He had the same skin tone as Starfire, and his shoulder-length red hair was pulled back in a simple pony tail. He spoke very little, only briefly answering questions. But when Robin asked him if he'd known Starfire before they were married, the young alien man launched into a story about the day they met – as children.

"Karras was my great childhood friend," said Starfire, leaning against her husband and offering him a spoonful of pudding. Robin's stomach turned not only at the overall sweetness of the story, but because he knew how terrible her cooking could be. However, Karras accepted the food without comment and smiled instead of chocking.

"I heard that another wife was determined for you," said Karras.

"Oh, yes, Friend Robin! Is she here?" Starfire bounced up and down on the couch.

Robin muttered and affirmative and followed up with "Raven."

Starfire's eyes lit up. "How I would like to meet her! Oh, Raven!" she called.

To his surprise, Raven appeared in the doorway of the parlor a moment later, narrowing her eyes at Robin. She spotted Starfire and spat, "What is _she_ doing here?"

Starfire, obviously missing the hostility in Raven's voice, motioned her to come in. "I have come to visit Robin and to have him meet my husband, Karras. How nice it is to meet you, Friend Raven."

Raven flinched violently at the 'Friend' endearment, and Robin smiled inwardly. She came into the room and stared at Starfire. At some point, Robin was sure her eyes were glowing red.

"You have something that I want," the dark girl said finally, in the same monotone, though lined with just a bit of what Robin suspected could turn into a tantrum. He'd never seen Raven like this.

"What do you mean?" Starfire asked.

"It isn't fair," said Raven, her monotone slipping. "You have two and I have none." She sounded like a spoiled child.

Starfire looked down at her hands, as though she would find some bright little bauble.

Raven seemed to notice how unreasonable she was being. Her steady diviner's gaze returned to her, and she said, calmly and without emotion: "You will leave now. You will go far away. Take him with you." She then muttered something in a language Robin knew to be Tamaranian. The alien girl snatched up the bowl of pudding and fled, followed by her husband.

When they had gone, Robin rounded on Raven, furious. "What the hell are you playing at?" he demanded. "This isn't your house. You don't decide who leaves and who stays."

"She had to go," Raven replied. Robin hated that she wouldn't shout back at him.

"How dare you speak to Starfire that way!" He shoved her half-heartedly, trying to provoke her. "You acted like a spoiled brat!"

Raven said nothing.

"What did you mean, she had something you wanted… she had two while you had none? What was that?" He tried to keep his voice even.

"You still love her," came the reply. "She has your heart. And Karras's. No one loves me." Robin thought he saw her eyes welling up with tears. "But you were right. I should not have behaved that way."

Robin was taken aback. She said he was right.

"You said something to her in her language," Robin prompted.

"You remember what I said about Terra. I saw the betrayal in her. I saw something in Starfire, too. I had a dream about it last night."

"What was it?" His voice was completely calm now.

"Her home is in danger. She needs to defend all she holds dear." Raven turned to leave.

"Will she live?" Robin asked.

"She will. But Karras… I cannot say the same for him."

Robin felt something grow inside of him. Hope. There was hope. Though he couldn't help but feel sorry for Karras, he wondered of this meant Starfire would be his again.

"She will never be yours," Raven said quietly, having read the expression on his face.

"How do you know that?" He demanded.

"I can see it in you. Your destiny is not with her."

"Can you see things like that in everyone?"

"Yes. Everyone but myself," she answered, almost sadly.

"What if you look in a mirror?" he suggested. A second later, when she smiled, he was sure he'd said something stupid.

"It isn't stupid," she assured him. "I've tried it many times. But a mirror gives a backward image, a warped truth. It deceives."

"What do you see?" Robin asked. But he didn't expect her answer.

"I see the destruction of this world."

If the answer surprised him, shocked him, it was nothing to what she said next.

"And it gives me hope."

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

So we're past the intro stuff now. In the next chapter we'll steep further into Raven's origins. Karras dies, but Starfire has already been promised to another man. And some other stuff will go down, too, I'm sure. But I'm not sure what yet.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	6. Chapter 6

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

**I would like to dedicate this chapter to Mokoto the Dragon Tamer, faithful reviewer. Also, to god. If she happens to stop by and read this. But of course, the entire story is dedicated to god. So the last was pretty redundant.

* * *

**

**Chapter Six: Nest Building**

Raven did not emerge from her room for three days after she warned Starfire to leave. Robin was somewhat disappointed, because there were things he needed to ask her. But he was well aware that people sometimes needed to be alone.

On the fourth day, she emerged from her room, cup of tea in hand. "Karras is dead," she said in a tone as dry as someone reading the ingredients off a package of pancake mix.

She took a long sip of her tea. "Starfire is grieving and needs to be consoled. Go to her." And without another word, she disappeared into her room again.

Robin didn't wait for her to remerge and repeat the message. He was gone before she'd started meditating again.

* * *

"My planet was experiencing a civil war. Karras fought bravely and he was buried with honor," said Starfire quietly.

"I'm sorry, Starfire…" Robin embraced her.

"Please, Friend Robin," she pulled away from him gently. "Do not think that because Karras has died, you can take his place. Another marriage has been arranged for me. And you have Raven." There was no bitterness in her voice.

"I don't love her, Star."

"And you love me?" she asked.

Robin didn't answer her. "I do not love Raven. I can't love her."

"You are avoiding my question, Robin." Her green eyes narrowed. "You told me once that you loved me. But you cannot say it anymore."

Robin opened his mouth to protest, but Starfire continued.

"You might not love her now, but she is very similar to you. Serious. She can perhaps understand you in ways I cannot."

"Starfire…"

"It was most gracious of you to visit me in my time of grieving, Friend Robin. But you must leave now."

Robin started speak again, but she pointed to the door and looked down at her lap.

* * *

"Bruce said the same thing, you know."

"What?"

He was sitting on the couch, Raven opposite him. He'd just told her everything that happened on his visit to Starfire. He was glad to have someone listen to him.

"Us being the same," she replied with a half-smile.

"Raven… do you want to marry me?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you proposing?"

"No," he answered, amazed at how calm they both were.

"I never thought of marriage. Or love. I have greater things in my destiny."

"I though you said you couldn't see…?" Robin began, confused.

"There are other people on Azarath that can see what I am destined for," she replied, taking a long sip of tea.

"And what are you destined for?" he asked, managing to keep the curiousity out of his words.

"Scath will awaken through me. I am his portal, and through me he will destroy this world."

More amazing than this statement was the fact that she managed to say it with the drone of someone explaining how to remove cat hair from the couch.

"You're his portal?" He repeated, incredulous.

"I was spawned to be his portal."

"He's your father?" Robin was barely aware that his voice had lost all of its volume, all of its calm.

"Yes. He took advantage of Sister-in-God and I was spawned. When I was very young, they discovered that I would help awaken him. They decided to kill me."

Robin's eyes widened behind his mask. How could she be so calm, so emotionless about all of this?

"Sister-in-God stopped them. She said that perhaps there was a way to defeat my father. There was much doubt, but I was allowed to live."

"Is there a way?"

"Sister-in-God saw a vision in which I defeated my father. Soon after, the other diviners singled you out as a key factor in completing that vision."

"But what can I do?" Robin looked past her, at his reflection in the glass. He was only human, after all. What power did he possess that could defeat the evil that was Scath?

"That I still don't know…" she answered slowly. "But in my dreams, we fly together, you and I, searching for him."

Robin nodded. She'd told him this before. With her feather under his pillow, he too had similar dreams. Mostly ones where was walking through a maze of alleyways, following a black bird that he took to be Raven's dream presence.

"I haven't had a nightmare in a long time," he said, finally. "Thank you."

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

I'm so pleased with how this story is going. So it's been quite serious up until this point, but in the next couple of chapters I'll lighten things up a bit. Next chapter: Raven meets Cyborg.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	7. Chapter 7

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

**Chapter Seven: Surprisingly**

For the next few days, Robin made more of an attempt to talk to Raven. If Bruce noticed, he didn't say anything. Raven rarely spoke to _him_, at any rate, so it wasn't much of an improvement. However, when she did, Robin listened. And he was sure she noticed _that_.

"I'm going into Jump City to patrol with my friend Cyborg. Do you want to come?"

Raven looked up from her book, a thick paperback volume. She favored him with a look that clearly said he was wasting his time.

"I might need you if there's any criminal activity," he pushed.

The book closed and she rose from her seat with a sigh of defeat, taking his hand and allowing her darkness to flow over them.

When she had first taken his hand, some weeks ago, he'd been surprised. But he figured it was necessary so that she could teleport them both. So he thought nothing of it. That is, until he overhead her telling Bruce that she didn't need to touch someone to teleport them.

Jump City was red and green all over, as it was nearing Christmas. Raven pulled her hood over her eyes as far as possible, obviously not cheered by the décor.

"Robin!"

They turned around to see a young man, at least a foot and a half taller than either of them. Most of him was metal, as though it were Halloween and his costume was that of some futuristic warrior. But Victor Stone had been half robot for some time now, and now went by the name of Cyborg.

"This must be Raven." He extended his hand before Robin could warn him that Raven wasn't exactly the friendliest person. To his surprise, however, she took it and offered him something close to a smile.

"I'm glad you're both here. Just got word there's a robbery going on," Cyborg continued. He gestured to a car parked behind him. It seemed to be made of the same technology as his armor. "Hop in."

The culprit turned out to be a madman who called himself Mumbo Jumbo. He was pretty good at card tricks, but Raven showed him some real magic and then Robin and Cyborg leaped in with their special 'Sonic Boom' attack. The magician was taken away to jail within twenty minutes.

"While we're here," said Robin, gesturing to the shops filled with people doing their early Christmas shopping, "I need to buy Beastboy a present. Tomorrow is his birthday." He entered a video game store, closely followed by Raven, who was muttering something under her breath about "Annoying, green-skinned shape-shifters". He found the video game Beastboy had been talking about for the past three weeks and bought it.

"There's a really nice book store here with a café. They even sell boxes of tea. Would you like to go?" Robin asked.

"I'd like that," she answered. He thought there was a slight drop in her monotone, but didn't give it any thought.

They left Cyborg in the front of the store, looking at some car and computer magazines.

Raven picked up another thick paperback tome – the last installment of the series she was reading – and followed Robin to the little café in the back of the store. The woman behind the counter let her sample a few of the teas they had for sale, and Raven went over to the shelf to decide which one she wanted.

While she examined a package of chamomile, Robin thought about how she held his hand even though she didn't need to. It didn't bother him, certainly. In fact, he rather liked it.

"Excuse me - " He was called out of his thoughts by a young woman.

"Yes?"

She pointed upward. Mistletoe. Raven had noticed it, too. They were standing directly underneath it. The whole café seemed to be staring at them. Robin mentally braced himself. He had so far witnessed a few of Raven's emotional displays, and they usually involved things breaking or exploding in fits of dark energy.

Raven was staring at the offending little branch with great dislike. But she hadn't run away. Did he dare hope?

"Oh, fine then," Raven muttered, closing the distance between them. Robin was temporarily overwhelmed by the closeness, not to mention her scent. For some reason he thought it would be something like lavender. But it was vanilla. Then, quite suddenly, her free hand was entwined in his hair, and she pulled him toward her and kissed him – on the cheek.

Then it was over and she was walking away, toward the counter to pay for the package of tea. Cyborg was standing some distance away, a car magazine dangling from his fingers. He wore an expression on his face that was equal to what Robin was feeling.

Utter shock.

Hours later, when they were back at Wayne mansion and he was in bed, he couldn't get her scent out of his mind. And the feeling of her lips brushing against his cheek was still there. Nothing Starfire had done had ever made him feel so… elated. He pulled the covers around himself and made a mental note to tell Alfred to put some mistletoe up around the house.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

This was a somewhat shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it. Especially after all of that Robin being a jerk stuff. We've gotten past all the intro, so now we'll have a few fun chapters and then the climax will build up. In the next chapter, more mistletoe. And some other stuff, too, I'm sure.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	8. Chapter 8

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated, once again, to** mokoto the dragon tamer**. And to** sekai no yakusoku**. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Emotion**

Of course Alfred suspected something. Robin had never been fond of mistletoe. Especially since at the private school he attended, girls who liked him stalked him all day, trying to catch him underneath a stem. But lately Robin had been thinking that the only person he wanted to catch under the mistletoe was Raven. Her scent lingered, the feel of her fingers in his hair and her lips on his skin lingered.

_Diagnosis: infatuation_, he decided. Of course it bothered him. He had been so cruel to her when she first arrived. How would she react when he told her? If he decided to tell her, that is.

"I thought Master Richard despised the festive little plant," drawled Alfred.

"Despise? That's such a harsh word, Alfred."

"Perhaps something has changed Master Richard's mind?" the butler suggested. Robin could have sworn there was a hint of amusement lining that suggestion.

"Just put some up."

A smile twitched at the corners of Alfred's mouth, but he did as he was told.

* * *

Three days before Christmas, Sister-in-God came to visit Raven. They spent a brief hour in her room, and then Sister-in-God came to speak to Robin. He hadn't expected it. After all, the first time he had seen her, the woman spoke only one short sentence, and it was more to herself than to him.

"She healed you." It was not a question.

"How am I supposed to help her defeat Scath?" he asked, getting right to the point.

"We do not know," she said. 'We' seemed to mean the diviners of Azarath, Robin guessed. "We have been trying to see."

"Why does he want to destroy the world?"

"Such is his nature." She paused and studied him for a long moment. Robin was thankful for his mask. Even though he wasn't wearing his crime-fighting uniform, he always wore his mask. "I suppose I should tell you," she began. "Hundreds of years ago the people of Azarath worshiped Scath. He was known as Trigon to us."

Robin's eyes widened behind his mask. He'd read about Trigon… somewhere. An old file in the Justice League research office.

"We saw that his motives were evil, and we made sacrifices to free ourselves from him. We no longer worshipped him." Something about the way she said it told Robin the sacrifices weren't human. Animal sacrifices, maybe.

"But then… I was taken. It was painful," she said quietly. "The diviners knew that I would spawn a means of returning Trigon to this earth. They were afraid. But Raven was born."

"And they wanted to kill her," put in Robin.

Sister-in-God favored him with another long stare. "She told you this?"

"Yes." A thought suddenly occurred to him. "She said that you had a vision of her defeating him."

"The vision came to me the day we felt him awakening again. I've had similar visions since. Ones of two birds pecking at Scath's eyes. Of Raven wielding an energy I've never seen."

"Do you think it will happen?" he asked.

"Sometimes, our minds make us see visions we want to come true, Richard Grayson," she said, rising from her chair. "But I am not the only one who sees these things. So perhaps there is hope."

"Why is she so emotionless?" the question had been waiting forever in the back of his mind. "Is it because of her destiny?"

"It would seem so," Sister-in-God answered slowly. "She was trained to lock away her anger. Anger is her connection to Scath. If she lets rage consume her, he will awaken."

"What about joy? Happiness? Can't she feel those things?"

"No harm will be done if she shows she is happy. If she seems to be cold and distant, than it is because she chooses to be." She smiled gently. "She may not show it, but she is happy here with you. She told me that you have promised to fly with her when the time comes. Please do not break this promise."

* * *

Her words stayed with him the for the rest of the day. In fact, he was so consumed in them as he sat beside Raven on the couch that he didn't notice that just above them was a branch of mistletoe among the glittery red garland Alfred had put up. He stared at it for a full minute then looked at Raven, who'd put her book down to see what he was looking at.

"I'll kill that butler…" she muttered.

_Funny, I was thinking he deserves a bonus..._ thought Robin.

She started to get up, no doubt to go in search of Alfred, but he caught her wrist and pulled her back. She glared at him, threw her book onto the coffee table, and looked him right in the eye. He smirked. She rolled her eyes.

"If you think I'm going to go through this again..." she began.

But Robin's lips were already on hers. For a moment she tensed, and Robin was afraid he had gone too far. But then her scent enveloped him and her fingers were in his hair. And somehow Richard Grayson found himself pinned beneath the object of his desire, not stopping to wonder at what point she had claimed dominance. All that mattered was the softness of her cheek under his fingertips and the warm curve of her waist. At some point, she moaned with pleasure and Robin was sure he'd never been as aroused as he was in that moment. But then she was gone, pulling her cloak around herself and muttering an apology.

Robin slowly pulled himself back into a sitting position, blinking in confusion.

"I'm sorry if I offended you," she finished, scooping up her book and fleeing to her room.

* * *

Holy Azar! She had kissed him!

Sister-in-God had been right. She was destined to fall in love with him. Raven groaned, sinking to the floor. She had practically thrown herself at him!

_But you can't deny that you enjoyed it,_ crooned a voice in her head.

"Shut up, Lust," Raven muttered darkly.

Happy and Hope put their heads together and giggled behind their hands. Brave sat there looking extremely pleased with herself, Lust watched Happy and Hope with amusement, and Intelligence observed. Raven really wished her inner emotions would just leave her alone.

_Nothing bad happened_, Happy said, comforting Timid.

It was true, Raven realized. Nothing had exploded or broken or burst into flame as things often did when she was angry. Nothing bad happened. She stood up shakily and walked to the vanity, pulling back her hood, lightly touching the skin of her cheek that still burned where his touch lingered.

* * *

As for Robin, he sat on the couch, his fingertips running over his lips, the scent of vanilla still wrapped around him. He found himself comparing her to Starfire again. Starfire had never made any noise in their passionate embraces. There was never any sign that he pleased her. And she had never run her fingers through his hair in such a way, as though she wanted to pull it out. And certainly she had never claimed dominance, pinning him beneath her. Even though she was probably strong enough to do it. The fact that Raven had done all of that, had kissed him with such passion, such emotion... Robin tilted his head back and stared up at the mistletoe, allowing her to consume his thoughts.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

Man, I'm good. Well, I hope you enjoyed these past two chapters, because things are about to get ugly. As in Slade ugly.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	9. Chapter 9

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated, once again, to** mokoto the dragon tamer **(Don't worry, I don't care too much for Original Characters. No one from Raven's past – except her father – will interfere.) And to** sekai no yakusoku**. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Nine: She's Mine**

Raven was, if possible, more distant as December faded and January came. As much as he wanted to confront her, tell her that he thought of her night and day, Robin knew she needed her silence. Needed time. And it annoyed him. He ached for her touch, and had to bite his tongue when Alfred threw out the Christmas decorations, mistletoe included. He wasn't a child, after all. He could wait. Raven was worth waiting for. But that didn't mean he had to wait patiently.

_Im_patience was his virtue, it seemed.

A number of times he tried luring her out to help him patrol the streets. The media had gotten wind of her after that day with Terra... reporters asked him what became of his beautiful partner. Robin told them she was strictly on-call, not a permanent partner.

Weeks dragged by. Valentine's Day approached and he had the crazy idea of buying her a dozen roses. One dozen white roses. And a red one buried in the middle. As his patience grew thinner, he began to play a game with himself by thinking up unique ways of confessing his love.

Friday the thirteenth.

"Spell it out in her tea leaves..." he muttered to himself.

"What?" Raven looked up from her teacup.

"_Nothing_," he replied in a tone that indicated it was definitely something.

"Richard?" she said carefully, and with a sickening pang, he realized that he loved the way his name sounded when she said it.

"Raven?" he replied.

Her eyes wandered vaguely toward the ceiling, and Robin knew she was thinking about the mistletoe.

"You didn't offend me." The words were out before he even thought them. He'd been wanting to say it for ages.

She stared at him.

Then, never taking her eyes from his, she placed the teacup on the coffee table, reached out, brushing her fingers along his jaw to twine them in his hair.

His communicator rang.

"Damn," he swore, pulling it out.

"Batman." He nearly spat out the name. He had half a mind to close the wretched device and chuck it out the window. "Trouble?" he asked, with an obvious _you-better-have-a-good-reason-for-interrupting_ undertone.

"It's Slade," informed the Dark Knight.

"Slade is dead," retorted Robin.

"So we thought."

Raven gave him a puzzled look.

"Coming?" he asked her, snapping the communicator shut with a tad more force than necessary. She nodded, took his hand, and teleported them there.

It was like a scene from hell. Instead of his robot army, there was a horde of flame demons, easy enough to defeat. Maybe too easy.

"So nice to see you again, Robin," Slade drawled. "And Raven. You look lovely."

Raven visibly flinched.

"What are you planning?" Robin demanded. He'd asked it countless times. It was almost a game between them.

"Nothing for now, Robin. No need to rumple your feathers." Slade chuckled. "I merely came bearing belated birthday wishes for Raven. From her father."

Robin growled and leapt, his bo staff at the ready. Slade merely stepped to the side, flicking an arm out in a complicated gesture. A flame shot out of the air and flew, full force, at the young man.

"Robin!" Raven waved her arms, trying to put up a shield for him, but it was too weak. Robin fell to the ground, groaning in pain. He'd managed to pull his cape around him at the last instant, but he hadn't been quick enough. The flame bit at his arm.

"Leave him alone!" Raven rounded on Slade, and even the flame demons around them seemed to shrink back. Robin looked up and realized, with horror, that her eyes were glowing red. Rage.

"Raven! Don't let yourself be consumed by rage!" he cried desperately.

Her fists loosened, and she was once again staring back at Slade with her cold emotionlessness. Before Robin could recover, Slade was gripping her wrist, and she was staring back, defiant.

"Soon, Raven. Soon." He twisted her arm and threw her to the ground.

"Don't touch her, Slade!" Robin snapped.

Slade favored his rival with his best psychotic snicker and picked Raven up, twisted her arm again, and threw her into Robin's arms.

"She's mine," Robin hissed vehemently.

"We'll see, Robin. We'll see." And then he was gone, leaving Robin to seethe and Raven to look down at her arms in sadness. Her sleeves were torn where he had touched her, and on her pale, moon-light skin burned red symbols that gave off an ominous aura.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

Okay, so this chapter was shorter than I expected. But the plot is building up, people. I estimate four more chapters. I just realized that this is the third chapter I've submitted today. I have a life. Seriously. But this story is flowing out of me faster than I can type.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	10. Chapter 10

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated, once again, to** mokoto the dragon tamer **and** sekai no yakusoku**, who always write me wonderfully long reviews. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Ten: As the Saying Goes**

"Since when am I a possession?"

"...?...!" Robin shrugged helplessly, an apologetic smile lopsided on his face. "You know I didn't mean..."

Raven smiled in an exhausted sort of way. "I know. You were angry." She reached out and touched his arm, healing the minor burn. They were sitting in front of the biggest church in Gotham City. Raven explained that as long as they were on holy ground, Slade would not bother them for a while.

"It seems my father thought of everything..." she muttered, withdrawing her hand and wrapping her arms around herself. "He must have made a deal with Slade: his life back in exchange for some dirty work." She gave a short, forced laugh. "He chose your worst enemy to do the job, Robin. He wants to, as the saying goes: 'Kill two birds with one stone'." She stood up and pulled her cloak around her.

"Raven..." he reached out to her.

"Don't," she cautioned, stepping back.

"But..." the words were stuck in his throat.

"I know," she said, reading his mind. She smiled. "But we can't." She turned away from him and walked down the steps. "The end of this world is drawing near, Robin. There are greater, more important things than you and I."

She locked herself in her room again. And Robin locked himself in his. Raven was right. He was being selfish. So many lives were in danger. But what could be done?

"I'm keeping Cyborg, Beastboy, and Starfire informed," he said to her door the next day. "They know about all of this and they've agreed to help. In whatever way they can." He fought the urge to break down the door. "They're going to fly with us, Raven."

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

Well. After shooting out three chapters in quick succession, this one was a bit harder to start. Hence the shortness. I've also gotten myself into a writing trap. I started writing a story a while back titled "Hiire". I'm putting it up on my Elfwood page and it should be there in a few days. (Google search "Divina Mia Fuentes" if you're interested in reading my stories that are not fanfiction. Look for "Divina Mia Fuentes at Wyvern's Library/Elfwood". Something like that.) Also for that page is a story that has been taking me a while, entitled "Scroll". I only have the prologue up. With any luck I should be done with the first chapter in a week or so. Then – yes, there's more – today I started writing a piece I call "Chaos and the Flute". A special gift for someone.

So expect the next chapters of this fic to come slowly.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	11. Chapter 11

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" was borrowed from Tad Williams. I did not create it.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated, once again, to** mokoto the dragon tamer **and** sekai no yakusoku**, who always write me wonderfully long reviews. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Bond**

It was a wonder that he could still love her even as she tried his patience so. He learned to pace back and forth, back and forth in the hallway in front of her room. Not because he was waiting for her to come out. No. For he had also learned that she would never come out. If she so chose. No. He paced to think. And to not think. So while she sat in her room, cross-legged and chanting her mantra, he paced and muttered random things to himself.

"...doesn't know what she's doing to me..."

"How can she stay in there without eating anything?"

"...driving me insane..."

"...I'll kill Alfred for throwing away all the mistletoe..."

"...She's been in there for four days!"

"...How in the hell am I supposed to defeat him?"

"...Raven..."

The door to her room opened and her head emerged, hooded. Underneath, her eyes were narrowed. Robin stopped dead in his tracks.

"I understand your need to pace, Robin. But would you please do it somewhere else?" she hissed. "Your ridiculous shoes clanging up and down the hall are making it hard for me to concentrate!"

"I'm sorry."

She frowned and stared at him murderously for a long moment before opening her door wide. "Come in here."

Robin felt glued to the spot. He couldn't move. "In your room?" he asked stupidly.

"Don't get any ideas, Boy Wonder," she muttered.

Finally able to pry his feet from their current position, he followed her in. The room was rather large, but mostly dark, the heavy curtains blocking out the light of day. The furniture was simple: bed, desk, and armoire. Under said armoire and on top of it were a number of books. Heavy leather-robed tomes and thin volumes wrapped neatly in dark cloth.

"Sit down," she instructed.

"On the bed?" he asked.

"On the _floor_," she corrected. Robin mentally slapped himself. Of course the floor. She sat across from him, folding her legs in a lotus position. Robin mimicked her. Or tried to. The best he could do was a sort of Indian-style posture. He almost thought he caught a shadow of a grin on her face.

"I need to go into your mind," she said. Robin reacted in a manner that suggested she would like to look in his underwear drawer.

"I wondered if I might find something there," she explained, "That might reveal some inner strength you have that could help us defeat Scath."

"Trigon, you mean?"

She flinched. "Yes."

"Will it hurt? You going into my mind, I mean?"

"No." She paused. "Would you let me do it even if it did cause you pain?"

"Yes." She arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "I trust you." She looked down at the carpet as a great flood of emotion passed from him.

"Give me you hands," she said finally when she could meet his masked gaze again.

"Is it necessary to hold my hands?" he asked, remembering how she teleported them.

"No," she said. It was obvious she was trying very hard to resist his gaze. "But I want to."

Robin smirked in triumph.

"Don't get a big head over it, now," she muttered, taking his hands.

For a long while nothing happened. Raven closed her eyes and chanted to herself, and Robin sat there, trying not to enjoy the fact that she was holding his hands too much.

"You need to relax, Robin," she murmured. "Focus on something. One thing. Let your mind focus on one thing and don't stray from it."

Robin smirked again, as though to say, "Guess what I'm focusing on, Raven?"

She ignored him and closed her eyes again. Within a few moments, he felt her surround him, despite her being two feet away from him. Her scent was there, and the warmth me felt when she had pinned him to the sofa in a fit of passion. And he began to remember things.

_The day Raven came._

_Kissing Starfire for the first time._

_Going with Batman to Justice League Headquarters._

All of that was in the past. But recent. But then...

_He was a little boy again, and his father was teaching him a handstand._

_His mother was reading a story to him about a patchwork elephant._

_He was flying through the air under a big circus tent._

_His parents were falling..._

And then it was over.

Something inside him pulsed. Raven had entered his mind and left behind a powerful bond between them through those memories. He vaguely remembered her saying it wouldn't hurt. But then he also remembered that he had never specified. It was emotional pain he was feeling. He felt tears welling up and forced them back. He has relived that memory in countless nightmares. He could handle it.

And suddenly, her lips were on his again, and whatever he'd been thinking about didn't matter anymore. And even though he was the one pinning her to the floor this time, she was still dominant as her tongue explored his mouth and her fingers entwined in his hair, her thumb brushing over a sensitive patch of skin below his ear and her leg brushed his inner thigh. It was his own groan of pleasure he heard first, followed by Raven's soft moan.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

A thousand apologies for the immense lateness of this chapter. I have been busy with a long, twisted sort of love letter for a week or so since my last chapter. And this one isn't too much longer than the last, but the next chapter will probably be the longest. What's going to happen?

Well.

Slade's back. The end of the world is near. Blah, blah, blah.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	12. Chapter 12

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to** mokoto the dragon tamer, sekai no yakusoku, **and** Pandora**, who always write me wonderfully long reviewsand encourage me to take all the time I need, so long as I update eventually. (Quality, not quantity!) Enjoy.

* * *

I have over one hundred reviews for this story. This has never happened to me before. This calls for a celebration!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Bye-bye Birdie**

"Ra_ven_..."

It was hard to think. Richard Grayson couldn't even say how long he'd been in that position. Time wasn't important now. A groan escaped his throat again. Who knew that a simple trail of kisses along his jaw, along his neck, would evoke such excitement? Raven had pulled him close, so that he could feel her breasts lightly brushing against his chest. And that was arousing, too. Between heated kisses she murmured things in a language he didn't understand. French?

He tried to find words for her. Something. Anything. But all he could manage was her name. She didn't seem to mind.

Eventually, he captured her lips with his own again and gently memorized the shape of her body with his hands.

When the knock came at the door he mentally groaned, and felt Raven do the same. They sat up, staring at the door as though wishing there were a trapdoor under the intruder's feet that they could trigger with their annoyed glares.

"Master Richard? Miss Raven? Am I intruding?" came Alfred's voice.

"Damn right you are," Robin muttered.

"Is dinner ready, Alfred?" asked Raven, getting to her feet.

"It will be soon. Shall I serve you in your room?"

"That won't be necessary. We'll be down shortly."

Alfred's footfalls echoed down the hall. Robin made a mental note to talk to him about interrupting his time with Raven later. She was standing with her back to him, looking out the window, apparently. With a great feeling of displeasure, he turned to leave. But Raven must have felt it, for she tugged lightly at his shirt.

"_Come here_," she murmured. This time, Robin was certain she was speaking French, but for some odd reason he understood. Maybe it was the way she said it. He took a cautious step forward

and was very surprised to find himself on his back the next moment, on her bed. Before he had time to register the fact that she had claimed dominance again, she was kissing him again, one hand resting warmly on his thigh, the other lost in his hair again. Bearing this in mind, he realized that he could easily turn on her. Which he did.

Raven's eyes looked up at him, shining violet. Gently, he leaned over her and kissed the gem on her forehead.

"I love you, Raven."

She threw him off of her, and he thought, for a heart-breaking moment, that he'd said the wrong thing. But she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the window sill.

Slade.

The window had swung open easily, noiselessly, to permit him. He was perched on the sill, crouching, with his head tilted to the side in a way that made Robin sick and reminded him of a grotesque puppet.

"So sorry to interrupt," he drawled.

Robin was in front of Raven in an instant, ready to fight him off.

"Now, now, Robin," chided Slade. "I'm taking Raven with me this time, and there's nothing you can do about it. Even she knows it."

"I'm not letting you take her," Robin said in a threatening tone.

Slade merely chuckled. "Bye-bye, birdie..."

The next thing Robin felt was a horrible... wrenching sensation in his gut. And a pain in his head like it was being split in two. Then everything was black. And cold. It took him a moment to realize he was unconscious. Or rather. The moment he was conscious again he realized he'd been unconscious.

He was in his own bed. The red numbers on his bedside clock read 2:58 am.

"Did I dream all of that?" he murmured.

But no. There was the unmistakable scent of vanilla on the sheets, and when he looked down at his chest where he was feeling a warmth, he saw a faint blue glowing.

"Raven?" he said into the darkness. No answer.

He remembered.

"Damn!" he hissed, throwing back the covers and getting into his crime fighting uniform.

"Titans," he said into his communicator. "It's time to fly."

The red numbers on his bedside clock read 3 am.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter.

I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

The battle begins next chapter, so bear with me while I write it. I want it to be good. I will not abandon this story. I've seen a number of good Robin+Raven fics, but sadly, they have been abandoned. This really pisses me off. And then there are about 9000 other fics that need to go through a spelling/grammar checker and they need a plot. And realistic dialog. In short, they don't belong here.

And the time (3 am) has some significance. If anyone can figure it out, I'll dedicate the next chapter to them.

Pray forgive the shortness of this chapter.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	13. Chapter 13

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku – **Who enjoys my dialogue.

**Arein**– Who made some good guesses, but didn't come close to the symbolism of 3 am.

**Chica**** de Los Ojos Café** – Who is right in guessing that I stay up that late, but no. Wrong again.

**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** – Who, like me, goes to the C2's to find Robin+Rave fics.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: The Hour is Three AM**

They weren't a team, exactly, but there were times when they had to come together to fight off something bigger than any of them. At these times, they were the Titans. And Robin was their leader.

He ran out of the mansion, jumped onto his R-cycle, and sped off, heading for the place where they'd agreed to meet. He flipped open his communicator.

3 am.

He checked again. It was impossible. He looked up at the clock over the bank. And the one over the shopping center. They had all stopped. The other Titans seemed to have noticed this as well.

Cyborg, BeastBoy, and Starfire were waiting for him on the roof of Wayne Enterprise. They all looked grim and anxious. Robin opened his mouth to tell them what had happened, but he couldn't find the words. His communicator rang.

"Robin, where are you?"

He was sure he'd never heard Batman so upset. So paternal.

"In the city. With the Titans," he answered.

"You should be in bed."

"I'm fine," Robin assured him.

"Robin. You've lost too much blood. Go back to the mansion and go to bed. Justice League is on this one."

"Blood loss?"

"You had a deep gash across your chest. Don't you remember?"

"Batman, I don't even have a scar on me."

The Titans exchanged worried glances. Robin knew what they were thinking. He had the tendency of being stubborn like that.

"How could I have a gash across my chest if I was attacked from behind?" he demanded.

From behind.

He looked up and locked eyes with Starfire. With Cyborg. Then BeastBoy.

Raven had been standing behind him.

"We're flying, Batman," he said quietly into the communicator. He turned it off then and put it back into his utility belt, head still spinning.

"Slade must have done it," he said slowly. "Raven attacked me from behind so that Slade would take her and not hurt me. He attacked me anyway, to make sure I would die. But Raven gave me some of her healing power. So that I would live."

The realization hit him suddenly, and he grinned, startling the others.

"She wanted me to live. That means..." He laughed. "There's a way. There's hope. She healed me because she knew I would fly to her rescue. I'm going to defeat him."

"Dude?" BeastBoy spoke up for the first time. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, BeastBoy. But there's some things you all need to know before we fly." And he filled them in on everything he'd learned about Scath.

* * *

It was dark. And cold.

It was always like this in her dreams. Nightmares. Only this was real. It would all be over soon. The end of the world was upon her, and all Raven could think of was the young man she'd left behind.

In truth, she wasn't sure why she'd done it.

"How sweet," murmured Slade in a tone that was almost human. "Trying to spare him from any pain. You must love him so." He gave a deep, amused chuckle, then took a knife from his belt and slashed it across Robin's chest, through his heart. "Robin redbreast," he said, then gestured out the window. "Daddy's waiting."

She had gone, not looking back.

_But he's still alive._

Raven mentally threw a random object at Happy.

_It was stupid to leave him a healing_, she said in her mind.

_It was a smart thing to do._

Raven ignored Intelligence and pushed Hope away before she could open her mouth.

"Why so quiet, Raven?" Slade looked up at her.

"I wondered if you were stupid enough to realize that my father isn't going to give you whatever he promised you," she lied.

"The curtain rises, Raven," he said.

She knew the words. She'd heard them in her nightmares since she was very young. The symbols burning on her skin like brands, she rose into the air and began to chant.

_Robin, forgive me.

* * *

_

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

So, no one was able to guess the symbolism of 3 am. My fault, really. You wouldn't know much about it unless you read the Bible often or if you'd seen _The Exorcism of Emily Rose_. I got to see an advance screening of it, and it's going to come out in theatres this weekend. I encourage you all to see it. Great movie. It was really hilarious in some parts, too. Or maybe that's just my twisted sense of humor.

So anyway, in the Bible, 3 pm is the official recognized time of Jesus' death. Thus, 3 am is the time when evil spirits come to Earth to torment, making a mockery of the hour in which Jesus died on the cross.

In the next chapter, the Titans meet Scath/ Trigon. Slade is betrayed. Somewhat like The End, but for your reading pleasure, it will also be something like the actual comic.

As soon as I'm done with this story, (give or take three more chapters) I want to write a more light hearted piece. Still Robin+Raven. And I'm not writing any more of "Fortune Cookies". Nor will I write a sequel. So there.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	14. Chapter 14

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" does not belong to me. Tad Williams used it first.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air**, all great writers and faithful reviewers.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: Though Hell Should Bar the Way**

It didn't help that an hour later they received word that Justice League's death count was at 20. There were other planets fighting, too. All the alliances that had been made. But gradually, they all turned off their communicators, not wanting to know that they were alone.

The city fell into ruin. One moment everything seemed fine. Quiet. But fine otherwise. Then, as Robin had dreaded, it became dark. Darker than it had been a moment ago, at least. And colder. Much colder. It was every inch the scene Raven had described to him. The sky, deep red. The buildings, destroyed. And in the center of it all stood Wayne Enterprise. A fitting throne for Scath.

It had seemed like an eternal scream that filled their ears. Full of agony and emotion.

And suddenly, he was there.

For that had to be him. That demon sitting there with the air of one capable of doing great evil.

A mountain couldn't have been more terrible than this, no matter how tall or jagged. Trigon the Terrible sat upon the ruin of what was once Wayne Enterprise, his eyes – all four of them – narrowed to slits of pure rage. He sat gravely, savage white hair tumbling onto scarlet shoulders, a great pair of gnarled, wicked horns crowning his head. He was bigger than anything they'd ever seen.

"Dude..."

Scath turned his great head toward them, his eyes glowing bright.

"Who dares breathe as I sit here?" His voice rumbled enough to shake the ground.

* * *

_I thought I was gone. I felt myself being torn to pieces as my soul opened the portal for my father to come through. I rose into the air, above Wayne Enterprise, forced to betray the building of the man who had shown me hospitality. The man who lay slain somewhere among the bodies of the other members of the Justice League. Such pain I caused. As I rose into the air and felt myself fading, I hoped that I would be lucky enough to go to Hell. I deserved as much, I told myself. Bringing such pain to the world. To Robin._

_Somehow, I couldn't push thoughts of him away. I longed for him to come snatch me out of the air, kiss my forehead, and tell me that he loved me. I never felt such joy like I did in that moment before Slade appeared._

_Robin._

_I loved his laughter, the way his body moved when he fought, his stubbornness, the way he called my name when I aroused him. I would have given anything just to be flying with him._

_And then, I was._

_Flying._

_I hadn't died. I had sacrificed my body to be my father's portal, but I would live on as a spirit in the air. What a curse. I could look down on the destruction Trigon the Terrible created and know forever that I had helped create it. I was a coward for giving in. If only I had hoped... but my will wasn't strong enough.

* * *

_

Scath moved one hand lazily in an almost royal gesture any time the Titans got too close. Demons of all kind appeared. And while they had no trouble defeating them, Robin was quickly losing his patience, and he had no idea how he was supposed to get Raven back.

He tried to feel his bond with her again, but couldn't find it. He threw out some of his Birdrangs in frustration, taking down a number of flame demons. Black energy sparked at his fingertips.

"Dude!"

"Friend Robin!"

"Are you short-circuiting?" Cyborg could have been joking, but this couldn't be over looked.

Robin looked down at his hands and concentrated very hard on his anger. His hands glowed with dark energy.

"Raven..." he murmured.

"Friend Robin?" Starfire sounded concerned.

"Fly me up, Starfire." It was not a request. She obliged quickly, as another legion of flame demons appeared. Cyborg and Beastboy turned their attention to them so that Robin and Starfire could get away.

When he was high enough, Robin once again focused his anger and muttered the incantation Raven had used so many times before, lifting up an abandoned bus and slamming it with all the mental strength he possessed into the haughty face of Trigon the Terrible.

While the blow did little damage, it got the demon's attention. Starfire left Robin standing on a building close by as instructed, then went to aid Cyborg and Beastboy.

"Where is Raven?" Robin demanded.

Scath let loose a deep, rumbling laugh. "She is gone, human. You waste your time."

"If she's gone, how can I be doing this?" Robin insisted, throwing up a large piece of a fallen building with her dark energy.

"She has left you some of her power..." Once again, Scath seemed unhurt. "What a fool, my daughter. Perhaps she thought you might be able to defeat me. But her gift won't last long."

"Hers was a gift of love," said a voice behind Robin. He turned to find Sister-in-God standing there. "You know not of such things, Terrible One. My daughter is not dead."

"Raven's alive?" Robin desperately searched for their bond.

"Her spirit lives. Your love saved her, and you must keep hoping that you will defeat her father."

"What about her? Will I ever see her again?"

"I don't know..." Sister-in-God looked solemn. "Her body has been sacrificed to become the portal for that monster that sits there. Perhaps she will never walk this earth again."

"You will never find her again," said Trigon.

"I will," said Robin fiercely. "I will defeat you for her. And I will find her again." _Though Hell should bar the way.

* * *

_

The battle continued. After a while, Robin began to feel his mental power slipping. Scath had been right. But Sister-in-God said that the key to the demon's defeat lay in his hope.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

Please excuse the lateness of this chapter. I was stuck on how to start, how to keep going, and how to end. I have also been swamped by requests to write a sequel to "A Letter to the Fanfic Writers". I simply will not bend on this. I did write a sequel to "Fortune Cookies" and have been considering a third part as well. But don't count on it.

Expect another long wait until the next chapter as I'm torn between two endings. One would end the story in about two more chapters, and the other would go on but be quite interesting. I have some thinking to do on it, especially since I'd like to get back into the swing of Kingdom Hearts writing. I have a story in the works for it and I want to get most of it down before I forget it.

I guess I should mostly leave it up to you guys. Would you prefer a short and sweet ending? Or a more complicated ending that is happy in the end anyway?

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	15. Chapter 15

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" does not belong to me. Tad Williams used it first.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air**, all great writers and faithful reviewers.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Starfire's Kiss**

They had been lucky. After a grueling three hours of fighting, they'd been able to escape. Still there was no sign of Raven, and Trigon didn't show any signs of weakness. Sister-in-God had lead them to the very church where Robin and Raven had once been safe from Slade and the flame demons. Robin got away with a few scratches. The others were unharmed.

"How long do we have until he comes looking for us?" he asked Sister-in-God.

"Scath believes that you cannot defeat him," she answered. "He will not seek you out."

"I will defeat him," Robin said, determined despite the circumstances.

"Maybe we should rest?" Beastboy suggested in a meek voice.

"That's a good idea," Robin agreed finally.

_When Sister-in-God arrived, I was as surprised as I was when Robin first used my mantra to command my power. Of course I had left him some of my healing so that he would live, but I never intended for him to command my telekinetic talents. It was something that deeply intrigued me. How did it happen?_

_I wanted to stay by Robin's side, protecting him with what little healing powers I had left. But I sensed through our bond that he was concerned for his friends, so I protected them instead. I was relieved that he was not severely damaged. I had the suspicion that Sister-in-God was using her own healing for him. _

_At one point in the battle, the Titans escaped, Sister-in-God leading them to safety. I followed them, my heart aching for Robin. Stubborn bird. I watched him pace the room, trying in vain to get him to feel our bond. It was no use. I needed a physical presence to get his attention._

"Robin..."

He looked up, ready to snap at her that he needed time and space to think. The look in Starfire's eyes made him stop. She'd never regarded him like this, her eyes resonated a sort of tenderness that he never remembered seeing there, not even when they were in love, before Raven came into his life.

"Starfire?"

She smiled at him, a gentle, sorrowful smile, then put up a hand to carefully brush her fingertips against his cheek. By this time, everyone else in the room was staring. Robin didn't give any sign that he noticed. Starfire took a step toward him, almost hesitantly, and brushed her lips over his. Robin stepped back, surprised. Starfire's hand was extended just so, hanging there a second after touching his hair. He stared at her for a full moment, trying to make sense of what had just happened. At some point, he abandoned thought and pulled her back into his arms, kissing her deeply. He didn't care that the others were watching. All that he knew were the fingers tangling themselves in his hair and the moan that hummed through his entire body.

"Dude... what about Raven?"

Robin smiled faintly and held Starfire. "This _is_ Raven, Beastboy."

"What the- !"

The 'Starfire' looked up at Robin. "Forgive me. I just wanted... one last..."

"It won't be the last, Raven," Robin insisted, cutting her off.

"Stubborn bird... hoping so desperately..." she turned and stared at Sister-in-God. "Hope," she said quietly. Sister-in-God regarded her with the same gaze.

"Daughter," she said finally.

"Mother," 'Starfire' answered before fainting.

_Koriand'r__ woke from what she assumed to be a nap. The last thing she remembered was sitting in a pew in that old church, watching Robin pace the aisle. Doubtless she had fallen asleep._

_"Did I sleep long, friends?" she couldn't understand the strange looks they were giving her. For some reason, Robin seemed disappointed. But a moment later he seemed fine, and she resolved to put it behind her, though there would be times when she thought back to this moment and wonder what had happened while she was sleeping for them to stare at her so._

_- from Koriand'r_

_For a brief moment I hoped that my first love and my one true love would be one. It was a twisted thought, but when you're living through the End of the world, you have these kind of thoughts. When I look back on it now, I'm almost disgusted that I might have been pleased with having Starfire in body and Raven in spirit._

_- Richard Grayson_

After Starfire recovered from the temporary possession, they set out once more, Sister-in-God and Robin seeming to share a common understanding from Raven's last word.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

Bit of background on this:

_"Raven was killed, and the evil in her soul took possession of a new body. Though her former Titans contacts, she began implanting what she believed were the souls of her slain brothers and sisters—fellow children of Trigon whose mothers had committed suicide rather than give birth to children of evil—into people such as Beastboy__. She accidentally implanted Raven's true soul into Starfire_

_- (http/ www. hyperborea. org/ flash/ raven. html)_

Pray forgive the lateness of this chapter. I have so much going on in college and then getting stuck in between never helps much. But I've been getting a steady flow of reviews. This keeps me going. The next chapter will be the last. I've decided to write a sequel to this in order to create a happier ending. This last chapter will be a bit tragic and bittersweet, but don't worry. Or maybe I won't write a sequel. Just a really long epilogue. Because if I did write a sequel, it would only be three chapters or something. We'll see.

Right now I have a fudge cookie calling my name.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	16. Chapter 16

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" does not belong to me. Tad Williams used it first.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air**, all great writers and faithful reviewers.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen (Part One): Slade**

_In the end, I understood why fate had thrown Robin in my path. When I first knew him, I couldn't comprehend why anyone would think that a mere human could help me bring down the evil that was Scath. But I soon came to see that he wasn't a "mere" human. No. He was strong. Not just physically, but mentally as well. He was capable of putting up emotional barriers similar to my own so that the pains of his past would not interfere with his present._

_Still, I wondered what use any of this would be against the destruction I would unwillingly help create._

_I only just understood it that moment. Hope. Humans, for all their useless carbon and extra fat, had two things that I needed. Robin loved me. And he believed in me. It was his heart and his sheer hopeful stubbornness that kept me alive in spirit, and it was that which would fuel me._

"Friend Robin, are you certain this is working?" Starfire called. The flame demons didn't give in.

Robin didn't answer. The powers Raven had somehow left him were fading, there was no sign of Sister-in-God, and the massive face of Trigon the Terrible continued to leer down at him.

Beastboy had been injured, a burn across his back, but he continued to fight. Cyborg was showing signs that his internal battery was dying, and Even Starfire seemed to have lost the spark of bright side she always possessed.

_Raven?_ He paused for a moment, certain he had felt her nearby.

"Robin!" momentarily distracted, Robin was unaware of Scath's hand coming down over him. Even if he had tried to jump out of the way or put up a fight he would have been too late.

That's why it came as a great surprise to him to look up and see none other than Slade standing there, having kicked the hand away.

"Slade!"

Robin was on his feet in an instant, his bo staff out.

"Save your energy, boy," Slade drawled.

"Why did you help me? What do you want?"

"Your finger," Slade answered. Robin was sure he was smirking behind the mask.

"My... finger?"

Slade gave a curt nod and threw something small and bright to him. Robin caught it deftly. A ring. A plain gold ring with a line of symbols on the inside. Red, burning symbols that he'd seen once before. Without hesitation, he slipped the ring over his finger and held his breath.

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen (Part Two): The White Raven**

_When Slade died, my father promised him immortality, should he do his bidding. Fool that he was, he agreed. My father never keeps promises. Slade was used. But of course, being my father's minion made him assessable to me. Mainly because of the mark my father had inscribed on his forehead. A mark that was proof of their contract. I can essentially use anything inscribed with this mark or contact anyone who holds it._

_Bearing this in mind, and the fact that Slade was disappointed with my father's lack of completion of their deal, I knew he would help me. Reluctantly, yes. But still._

_The ring of Azar would not only protect Robin and his friends, it would allow me to reach the bond I shared with Robin. Thus, two parts of my spirit united, I would be able to return in a physical sense. Though it was difficult to know how long the effect would last._

As soon as the ring was on his finger, Robin once again felt Raven's presence. Her warmth, the scent of vanilla. The symbols seemed to be burning through the ring. A moment later, Raven was standing there, clothed in a white cloak, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. She looked so much like Sister-in-God.

"Raven..."

"Don't touch me," she warned. It was a command, but he could clearly feel the pain behind each syllable.

"Do you still have hope that you will be able to defeat me, Daughter?" Scath's voice was as terrible as ever.

"Hope is all I have," she answered calmly.

It was a new energy that sprung to life at her fingertips. White-hot lightning fire danced in her palms, and Robin knew she was unleashing the most powerful weapon she had.

Every ounce of her emotion.

One blast was all it took. Raven did not hold anything back and it all came full force, shaking the very air.

When Robin opened his eyes, everything was right again. The sky was blue, his friends were at his side, and they were standing a top the building across from Wayne Enterprise. The sun glinted off of the buildings. It looked as though nothing had happened.

"Friend Raven!"

Starfire's cry brought Robin back to reality.

"Don't touch me, Starfire."

Robin knelt at her side. "Raven? Are you hurt?"

"No... but I don't have much time."

"Don't talk like that."

Beastboy, Cyborg, and Starfire backed away, worried looks on their faces.

Raven favored him with a small smile. "It was hope that I needed." Robin returned the smile and pulled her into his arms. He felt her quiver. "Robin..." She twined her fingers in his hair and pulled him toward her to kiss him. "I love you."

And she was gone.

As simply was she had come.

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

**No. This is not the end.**

I have two epilogues for this thing coming up soon, then I'm going to start another fic entitled "Rules of Play" which looks promising. Another Robin+ Raven, of course. In light of that, I would like to announce a contest. In this next fic, Robin and Raven will converse over the internet in a forum, so I need some original names for them. I'm thinking of "SonGrayEyes" for Robin, but I'm open to suggestions. Especially from my faithful reviewers.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	17. Epilogue: Part One

**Two Birds With One Stone

* * *

**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" does not belong to me. Tad Williams used it first.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast

* * *

_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air**, all great writers and faithful reviewers.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

* * *

**Epilogue (Part One): "I Still Had Hope" _or_ "I'm in Love With a Stubborn Bird"**

It was his eighteenth birthday. And he'd just survived the End of the world. You'd think he'd have something to celebrate.

But Richard Grayson just sat there, in the armchair by the window. The same place where he'd been sitting when Raven first appeared to him. He wanted to be alone today. For days after the End, they'd searched for her. It was hopeless. She was truly gone. And he no longer had his bond with her... she'd used it to return and save them.

His friends had been worried. Knowing him, they assumed he would sink into the depths of despair. Or become so bent on finding her that he would injure himself. Slade had vanished as well, and Cyborg, Starfire, and Beastboy agreed that it would only be a matter of days before the Boy Wonder insisted they go in search of him.

But Robin didn't seem depressed at all. But he wasn't happy, either.

"In the end..." he murmured to himself, fingering the black feather – it remained intact, miraculously – "I still have hope..." a small smile lighted on his lips. And he tucked the feather into the pocket of his shirt, sinking back into the cushions with the comforting thought that she had at least told him she loved him before she left. It was his only comfort.

The day before, Starfire had pulled him aside and asked him to marry her. Robin was surprised, and he'd spent a full minute gazing into her eyes, hoping against hope that Raven was there again. But it wasn't. He politely refused.

"I'm sorry, Star," he'd said. "But I can never love you... I love Raven."

"Robin..." she insisted softly, dropping the endearment, "Raven is gone. I know she lives in your heart, and as your wife I will always respect that."

"I wouldn't be a good husband to you, Star. General Phy'zzon would be able to give you and Tamaran much more than I can." He leaned over to her, still hoping to smell the familiar scent of vanilla. But it was only the faint citrus spray that filled his senses. He kissed her on the cheek and went to his room.

Batman had returned. Somehow, Raven's greatest power was her healing, and all those who had died at the hands of Trigon returned. All but Raven.

Richard Grayson looked out the window. He could see the city, hear the faint sounds of cars.

"I still have hope..." he murmured.

"I'm in love with a stubborn bird, aren't I?" came an amused voice.

Robin turned away from the window.

She was standing exactly where she had been the day he'd first seen her. She was wearing the same white dress and cloak, though tattered at the hem and ripped up the side. Her hair was as long as it had been the day she'd defeated her father, tied back messily.

"Raven?"

She took one great, stumbling step forward and fell into his arms.

"I knew you'd come back to me," he said into her hair, taking in her scent.

With a seemingly great effort, she pushed him back onto the sofa where they'd shared their first kiss and twined her fingers in his hair, pulling him toward her.

"Ra_ven_..."

She said something in French and kissed him again. He broke it and looked her in the eye for a long moment.

"Marry me?" he said finally.

Smiling, she gently knocked her forehead against his.

"Yes."

The next hour was one of the most beautiful moments of his life, Robin later recalled. He was wrapped in Raven's scent, in her arms. He lost count of the kisses, the moans. His fingertips found the curve of her waist, the sensitive length of her inner thigh, the small of her back, and the curve just below her breast.

At some point, he had to stop himself. Because he wanted to respect her. Because she was arousing him to the point where he might lose control. And because he needed to ask something else.

"Where were you?"

She smiled and leaned against him. "It's a long story, Boy Wonder..."

* * *

**Writer's note:** As always, thanks to all those who read, reviewed, and are now waiting most anxiously for the next chapter. I would also like to thank the people who liked this story enough to make it part of a C2.

Indeed, where has Raven been? We'll soon find out. The next part will be the last, dear readers. I put the last chapter up around 12am ish this morning, and when I got onto my computer at 11:45 this morning, my inbox was flooded with reviews. I was surprised and pleased. Thank you all so much.

There were even a number of suggestions for names. Most everyone seemed to agree that "SonGrayEyes" was perfect for Robin. However, I had some difficulty in finding a name for Raven. I think anything with "demon" in it would be a dead giveaway. No offense meant. So I have decided to give her the name "MerleLiterari", a blend of the names submitted by **sekai**** no yakusoku** and **Arein**.

Go review already.

Signed,

The writer, you fools


	18. Epilogue: Part Two

**Two Birds With One Stone**

**Disclaimer: **No, I do not own the Teen Titans. No matter how well I write them. Or whatever. The term "Sister-in-God" does not belong to me. Tad Williams used it first.

_I was dreaming when I wrote this/ So sue me if I go too fast_

Dedicated to:

**sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air**, all great writers and faithful reviewers.

And

**Emily Karnes **- Who will probably never read this.

**Epilogue (Part Two): "Church of Blood" _or_ "Raven's Story"**

_"When I woke up, I felt as though my head had been split in two. I didn't dare open my eyes, afraid of what I would see. I was in pain... surely I'd been sent to hell after all. But then I heard chanting. Many voices chanting. I slowly opened my eyes. The first thing I saw was stained glass, light pouring through the red and orange blocks of color._

_"Welcome to the world, Raven."_

_I'll never forget that voice. So gentle, so kind. But my empathy was kicking in fast, and I knew this man was up to no good._

_"Isn't she beautiful, Mother Mayhem?"_

_"An angel, Brother Blood."_

_The man who had spoken first wore a long, dark red robe. Thrown over his shoulders was a shawl that had once been white, but was now faded to the yellow of old parchment. He had a kind face, but I couldn't look into his eyes for feeling sick._

_The woman who stood beside him, with her dark hair and eyes, held the haughty beauty of an evil queen. She also wore a dark red robe. With a sickening pang in the deepest pit of my stomach, I realized I was wearing one, too._

_I was in a church._

_But I was being held captive, bound to the alter, surrounded by a horde of faceless monks and nuns in dark red robes. They were chanting my name. To my horror, I realized they were chanting the incantation to wake Scath. To open his portal._

_But they were chanting it backward._

_I think I fainted._

_When I next awoke, I was looking into the dark, empty eyes of the woman called Mother Mayhem._

_"Run," I commanded her. My voice was very weak. "You must protect that child you carry in your womb."_

_She did run. But not away from that terrible place. She returned with the man called Brother Blood. I knew, somehow, that the child belonged to him. What a sickening thought. I felt weak, I hadn't eaten in days, and my stomach was spinning. I threw up on the floor at the feet of Brother Blood. Black bile mixed with blood stained the hem of my robe._

_Mother Mayhem was ordered to bring me food. When we were alone, I repeated my command to her. She pretended she couldn't hear me. Obviously she was afraid of Brother Blood's wrath. She left a bucket of water with a ladle at my feet and cut the binds from one of my wrists so that I could reach it to drink._

_Through the night I drank and meditated, regaining my strength. I had to find a way to escape. To be with you again, Robin._

_By morning, I felt better._

_Mother Mayhem came and fed me again. Once again, I warned her that her child was in danger, that she should escape. She paid me no heed._

_Brother Blood came later, followed by his servants, his "children", as he called them. _

_"We are the Church of Blood, Raven," he said._

_For a long hour they chanted again. I pretended to be weak when Brother Blood untied me and led me to a basin of Holy Water. But as the sun shone in through the stained glass, I realized that I was about to be baptized in blood. I resisted, calling for you. Brother Blood hit me across the face and ordered me to be bond again._

_"You will cooperate, Raven," he insisted._

_Looking into his eyes was painful, but I forced myself to do it. What I saw there sickened me beyond anything I'd seen or felt thus far in that wretched place. I saw an old man staring out at me through those eyes. Brother Blood looked not a day over twenty-five, but those eyes had seen a hundred years._

_I searched deeper and found what I needed._

_Mother Mayhem came again that night to feed me and leave water. I'd already warned her three times, so I couldn't warn her again. But to my relief, it was she who spoke._

_"I fear for my child," she said quietly._

_"I can help you," I said. "I can defeat him."_

_"How?" she was frightened, but hopeful._

_"You know my father's mark. Write it on Brother Blood's shawl in Holy Water while he sleeps."_

_She stared at me for a long moment, then walked away, into the shadows of the church. I knew she was afraid. But I had hope, Robin. You taught me to hope, so that night I hoped with every fiber of my being that Mother Mayhem would do as I asked. I wanted to be with you again so much it hurt._

_The next day I awoke to the chanting voices. Again, I was untied from the alter and led to the basin of blood. From under her hood, Mother Mayhem smiled at me and put a hand over her stomach._

_My heart leapt._

_"She will be a girl," I said. "A beautiful girl."_

_Gathering all of my strength, I used my mind to choke Brother Blood with the shawl, dunking him into the pool of blood. Mother Mayhem pulled the shawl away and threw it into the candles near the alter. I threw off the dark red robe and summoned my white clothes. The Children of Blood advanced on us, chanting. But I was in control now, and I set their minds free. Brother Blood, robbed of his shawl, drowned in his basin._

_Mother Mayhem and I escaped."_

"Where is she?" Robin asked after a long moment.

"I took her to my mother," Raven explained. "Jessica was born this morning."

She ran a hand through his hair and kissed him deeply once more.

"Promise you'll never leave again..."

"I'll always be here, flying at your side," she answered.

**_FIN_**

**Writer's note:** I never know what to say when I finish a story. I believe there are thanks in order.

To **sekai**** no yakusoku ,Arein ,Chica de Los Ojos Café** ,**The Komodo Dragon Phoenix** , and **castle in the air** – my most faithful reviewers: Thank you for motivating me and encouraging to take my time. I love you all. This story is for you.

To everyone you decided this story was worthy of putting in a C2.

To everyone who made this story a part of their "Favorite Stories" list.

To everyone who made me a part of their "Favorite Author" list.

And now:

**Go review already.**

**Signed,**

_The writer, you fools!_


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